Jazz recall Almond, Fesenko from D-League

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has recalled rookies Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko from the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Almond, a 6-6, 225-pound guard out of Rice was selected by the Jazz in the first round (25th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft. He has appeared in six games for the Jazz, totaling three points, one assist and one steal in 25 minutes of action.

Almond has appeared in a total of 31 games for the Flash during two separate stints (Dec. 6 – Jan. 8 and Jan. 25 – March 29), averaging a D-League leading 25.0 points, along with 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 36.8 minutes per game. He was named D-League Player of the Week (Dec. 17-23) after averaging 43.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals while shooting 32-of-68 (.471) from the field. During that week, Almond scored a D-League record-tying 51 points in a win over the Austin Toros on December 21. He later broke the D-League scoring record, posting 53 points in a win at the Bakersfield Jam on January 30.

Fesenko, a 7-1, 288-pound center has appeared in seven games for the Jazz, averaging 1.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game. He scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in 17 minutes in a 120-96 Jazz win over the Los Angeles Lakers in his NBA debut on November 30.

Fesenko has been assigned to the Flash three times this season (Nov. 10-30, Dec. 6-13, and Dec. 27-March 29), and per league rules will remain with the Jazz for the remainder of the season. He appeared in 37 games (25 starts) for the Flash, averaging 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.92 blocks with five double-doubles, while shooting .502 from the floor. Fesenko ranks seventh in the D-League in blocks and ninth in rebounding.

The 21-year-old native of the Ukraine was originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft; the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.

Almond and Fesenko will travel with the Jazz to Minneapolis for the team’s game vs. Minnesota on Sunday, March 30.